Rotary scrub brush head



May 4, 1954 1.. J. MUNDO 2,677,142

ROTARY SCRUB BRUSH HEAD Filed March 27, 1952 32.93 lllllllllll lllllllllllj INVENTOR. 0055 yiZzurzdcr Patented May 4, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,677,142 ROTARY SCRUB BRUSH HEAD Louis J. Mundo, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 27, 1952, Serial No. 278,847

Claims.

This invention relates to rotary scrub brush head, and has for a broad object the provision of an improved brush head adapted to be used in the now-known rotary scrubbing machines used in large office and industrial buildings where large areas of floors must be scrubbed at short intervals.

Generally, such rotary scrubbing machines are provided with a motor and a vertically disposed rotating shaft to which a brush head is attached by cooperating coupling parts carried by the shaft and brush head respectively.

Generally these rotary brush heads have been found of a disk-like body from which bristles of fiber or hair extend vertically from the plane of the lower or working face of the disk-like body. These bristles are usually arranged in tufts, and secured to the body by imbedding their upper ends in appropriate recesses in the lower face of the body and by stapling or stitching them in place, or otherwise fastening them.

The heads of rotary scrubbing machines rotate at a relatively high rate of speed, are subject to relatively high temperatures, and chemical action of detergent solutions used in scrubbing operations; all of these factors have tended to accentuate the problem of providing a rotary brush head which will retain its bristles properly, and of sufiicient length, to have an economically long life of usefulness. Hot water and detergents are well known to cause a softening of the bristles, which of course results in a decrease of scrubbing efiiciency due to bending and presentation of flat sides instead of bristle ends to the soiled surface.

A. very broad object of this invention is the elimination of many of the objections to the currently used rotary brush heads, by providing a scrubbing surface formed of a plurality of scrubbing teeth formed integrally from a continuous strip, or strips, which the body of the head carries in a novel and secure manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a brush head made in such a novel manner that its manufacturing cost is relatively low and such as to require no novel machinery or extensive training of manufacturing personnel.

Other and more detailed objects will appear as the description of this invention proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals denote corresponding parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the brush head of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation View,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a detail view in side elevation of the strip carrying the scrubbing teeth of this invention, and

Fig. 6 is a detail bottom plan view of the strip shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the brush head H is generally circular in plan, and of substantial thickness in elevation; it is shown as formed of two concentric laminated disks, joined permanently together at their inner faces, but may be formed from one piece of laminated wood or other suitable material. The disk portion it! is somewhat larger than the disk H, and carries a conventional coupling member 12 for joinder to a coupling member of a rotary shaft (not shown) the end of the shaft may extend into the central circular bore l3 of disk It] and into the enlarged bore forming a recess H5 in the working face of disk H. The coupling l2 may be secured to disk H! by appropriate screws l5.

Extending radially from the wall of the circular recess or bore 14 to the periphery of disk II are slots [6 arranged equidistantly from each other like the spokes of a wheel; more or less than the twelve slots H5 may be employed if desired.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, the scrubbing strip H has teeth I a formed along one edge by a series of diagonal slits l 9, while the other edge remains unitary.

As shown in Fig. 3, the unitary edge of strip I! is slid or inserted into slot l6. Preferably, strip I! is formed of a rubber composition having a fabric core vulcanized therein, and when one edge is slit, the teeth It separate laterally and give a staggered appearance as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 1, one end of strip I? is laid into recess l4 edgewise, with an end lying against the recess wall at 20, where it may be secured by a nail such as 2 I. The strip 1? is then bent along the recess wall to a slot :6 and its unitary edge is inserted into a slot is and bent around a portion of the periphery of disk ii, to the next slot l'fi where it is also inserted to the wall of recess 14 and bent along the wall to the next slot i B, as indicated by the direction arrows. The unitary edge of strip I? may be nailed along the wall of recess M, as by nails l2, but its frictional engagement with the walls of the slots It and its slight expansion after being stretched slightly in insertion, will give a very secure mounting; successive strips, such as [1, may then he ing results.

secured and inserted in successive slots, as first described, and the terminal end may be lapped over th starting end at the point 20 and be secured by a nail 2 i. A nail 21 may also secure the strip 11 to the periphery of disk It at spaced points between the spaced slots I 6, by being driven through an encircling band 22 of metal, or rubber stripping similar to strip 17; the overhanging edge of disk l provides a circular support 23 for the strips i7 and 22.

After the strip :7 has been arranged and assembled as described, a central disk plug 24, having a central bore 25 in alignment with bore [3, is driven into recess I4 and clamps the inner arcs of strip i7 against the recess wall; if desired the plug may be additionally secured in place by screws extending into disk .portion 10.

When assembled onto a rotary shaft of a scrubbing machine, and in use, the radial portions of strip 11' present the protruding teeth 18 to the soiled surface in successive radial wiping or scrubbing motions, and a thorough clean- The resilience of the rubber teeth, or bristles, and their resistance to abrasion and deteriorating action of hot detergent solutions, provide long life and a desired degree of stiffness for eflicient cleaning.

While I have shown and described my preferred form of construction, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details shown and described, but wish to avail myself of all variations coming properly within the scope of the appended claims.

said first bore, the said second member having slots in its undersurface, and a continuously ex tending elongated scrubbing strip means secured in said slots and passing around the periphery of said second disk member.

2. A rotary scrub brush head comprising a first disk member having upper and under plane surfaces and a central bore therein, a second disk member having upper and under plane sur- 4 faces with upper surface joined to the undersurface of said first member and having a central bore therein concentric with and cooperating with said first bore, the said second member having slots in its undersurface, and a continuously extending elongated scrubbing strip means carrying scrubbing teeth, the said strip means secured in said slots and passing around the periphery of said second disk member providing a plurality of spaced tooth scrubbing edges.

3. A rotary scrub brush head comprising a first disk member having upper and under plane surfaces and a central bore therein, a second disk member having upper and under plane surfaces with upper surface joined to the undersurface of said first member and having a central bore therein concentric with and cooperating with said first bore, the said second member having a plurality of radial slots in its undersurface extending from the bore to the periphery thereof, a continuously extending elongated scrubbing strip means secured in said slots and passing around the periphery of said second disk member, and a central plug carried by said second member bore and having a bore of its own of the same "size and in coaxial alignment with the bore of tending from the bore to the periphery thereof,

a continuously extending elongated scrubbing strip means having one edge secured in part in said slots and in part in said second member bore, and a central plug carried by said second member bore and having a bore of its own of the same size in coaxial alignment with the bore of said first disk member.

5. A rotary scrub brush head comprising a first disk member having upper and under plane surfaces and a central bore therein, a second disk member having upper and under plane surfaces with upper surface joined to the undersurface of said first member and having a central bore therein concentric with and cooperating with said first bore, the said second member having a plurality of radial slots in its undersurface extending from the bore to the periphery thereof, a continuously extending elongated rubber scrubbing strip means extending through each of said slots around alternate portions of the Wall of said second member bore and around alternate portions of the periphery thereof, and a central plug carried by said second member bore and having a bore of its own of the same size in coaxial alignment with the bore of said first disk member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 848,974 Crossman Apr. 2, 1907 1,118,153 Sanborn Nov. 24, 1914 1,688,378 Dittmar Oct. 23, 1928 2,153,207 Petty Apr. 4, 1939 2,480,739 Johnson Aug. 30, 1949 2,565,047 Rowland Aug. 21, 1951 2,595,536 Pastoret May 6, 1952 

